Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Paper 1 = 40 marks
Paper 2 = 40 marks,
To get A is around 80% .Thats mean you must get a total of 64 marks from both paper.
SCORING CRITERIA FOR PAPER 2
MARKING SCHEME FOR SECTION A : QUESTION 1 ( SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION )
EXCELLENT
( 9-10 MARKS )
CREDIT
( 5-8 MARKS )
ACHIEVEMENT
( 3-4 MARKS )
LOW ACHIEVEMENT
( O-2 MARKS )
The burglars
The moon was out in the night sky as Sam walked towards home after
doing assignment in his friend's house nearby. It was a quiet and pleasant evening.
As Sam walked past a tree he saw two men climbing over the fence of a
house. The occupants of the house were probably not in as the lights were not
switched on.
Knowing that the two men were obviously burglars up to no good, Sam ran
quickly to a telephone booth nearby and called the police.
A patrol car with two policemen in it responded to Sam's call for help.
They hurried to the scene.
The two bad-hats were caught red-handed trying to break into the house.
The two men were handcuffed and escorted into the patrol car to be taken to the
police station. All they got for their efforts were trouble with the law.
Vocabulary
bad-hats : Someone who deliberately stirs up trouble
caught red-handed :To be caught in the act of committing a misdemeanor
escorted : one or more people travelled with some police
Friends play an important role in our lives. One day, we will have to step into this tough and
competitive world on our own. Parents and teachers will not always be there to guide us when
we need them. At such time, who else other than our own friends can we turn to, to seek advice
or even just a shoulder to cry on?
Thus, everyone needs a good friend. What is a real good friend like? A good friend is
someone who shares your happiness and sorrows. They are those who will never stand you
up nor leave you alone when you are down and out. They are those who will prop you up and
give you all the support you need. So the saying goes "A friend in need is a friend indeed."
A good friend is also a loyal friend. They are the ones who will never betray you, nor let
you down. Unfortunately, not everyone makes a good friend. Some friends are not only disloyal,
but they may also have certain bad habits with bad influence.
There are many types of "bad habits", like smoking, drinking, addiction to drugs, or even
illegal racing which lead to reckless driving that can harm our lives.Some people do not have
any of these "bad habits", but they can be manipulative. If you do not have enough guts to say
"no", they will climb on top of you.
Seeing that friends are so important, we should be very careful when it comes to
choosing friends. When we have found a good friend, we should treasure and return their
valuable friendship.
Reading
There are many ways of spending our time usefully. Reading is one of the
best ways of doing so. Reading helps us learn about people and things. It also helps
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us to know and understand many new words and how to use them.
Many people say that reading is the key to success. Unfortunately these
people seldom tell us what or how to read. They also do not tell us when to read.
Many parents will tell their children to read. "Read, read anything, don't
waste your time," they say. This is wrong.
Reading cannot be forced on anyone. There is a time and a place for
everything. So reading too has to be done in the proper way and at the proper
time. We should enjoy whatever we read at the same time we should also
understand whatever we are reading.
Many of us read because we are told to do so. Some read because their
parents want them to do so. Yet others read because they simply want to make
their parents or teachers happy.
All these are wrong reasons for reading. Reading should be enjoyed so
that we can get maximum benefit from it.
The countryside was lovely to behold. White clouds, blue skies and
greenery as far as the eyes could see bore testimony to the wonder and beauty
of nature.
However such beauty could not stand against man's greed. As a human
habitat, the environment is constantly subjected to development. Changing
economic circumstances and various socio-cultural developments have had a
strong affect on the environment. Soon the man came with his bulldozers and
other heavy machinery. The countryside was doomed.
In a short time, the smoke-belching machinery totally cleared up the land.
The hills were flattened and not a single or plant was left standing. The once
lovely stream was reduced to a giant concrete drain.
Next the builders moved in, erecting huge factories to cater for the needs
of the growing industries.
Now, black smoke hides the sky, foul liquids choke the drain and loads of
rubbish cover the land. It is yet another triumph for modern industry, and a
further destruction of environment.
Earth day
We have heard about Birthdays, Open-House Day, Mother's Day,
Valentine's Day, Father's Day and so on, but how many of us have heard
Our government, as well as those of other countries, has imposed laws that
forbid mankind to hunt endangered animals, such as tigers.
Our main source of oxygen, the trees, are also dying by the thousands every
day.
Scientific research has shown that the temperature of the Earth has risen to an
alarming figure during the past few years. It will most probably rise further if
we do not stop polluting the environment.
In recent years, many forests have been burnt because of the extremely hot
weather. Neighbouring countries have also been affected by these forest fires
and resulting haze.
Vehicles on the road every day produce huge amounts of hazardous and
poisonous gases and billowing clouds of smoke. This will damage the Earth and
allow ultra violet rays to penetrate the Earth's atmosphere, thus endangering the
lives of humans.
People are also living in fear of the Earth being flooded by torrents of melted
ice from the North and South poles.
Nature societies and governments have encouraged people of all races and
from all over the world to lend a helping hand in saving Mother Nature. We would
only have to cut down on our usage of paper napkins, buy less or perhaps not
buy animal fur coats at all. Handbags, pouches, shoes an other accessories
made of animal products should be avoided. Yet, people refuse to cooperate.
Our beautiful surroundings will no longer remain the same, not because of
anything, but because of the pollution that is happening every day, all around us.
No longer will people enjoy sightseeing anymore, as the lovely and attractive
scenery will be destroyed.
Our future generations may not be able to recognise those cute little puppies
and kitten, since there will be none of them roaming the streets. All the
animals that our granddaughters and grandsons may see would be in zoo, or
even worse, only in books!
forbid : to refuse to allow,officially or with the right to be obeyed.
hazardous : which contains risks or danger
billowing : a rolling mass (as a flame or mist) like a large wave
penetrate : to enter, to pass
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
trembling : to shake uncontrollably with quick short movements
warmth : the state of being warm
Night market is not a strange place for today's city life. It is almost as same
as the wet market. The difference is the market starts in the evening whereas the
wet market starts in the morning. Besides that, only every Monday and
Wednesday, the place is swarmed with people. On other days, the field is just
gathered
by
a
few
cows
grazing
on
the
coarse
grass.
Night market is a spectacular and colourful market. From one end to the
other, one can see a dense mass of human heads moving about restlessly
under the bright neon lights of the hand-carts and stalls. These temporary stalls
sell all manners of useful household goods, food and drinks. Night market is a
colourful place. There are many types of fruit and vegetables, such as red
tomatoes, orange carrots, green capsicums, etc, which are sold. There are all
kinds of clothes and materials too. There are different kinds of coloured plastic
goods and so on. All of them add up to a marvellous view under the bright moonlight.
The field at the night market is crowded by people from all walks of life. Cars
spill over everywhere from the parking area to the roadsides. In such condition,
only the early birds will get parking spaces. Motorcycles and bicycles going in
and out. The crowds of people are walking about and the loaded carts on the
middle of the path make it even more difficult to move. It is closed to traffic jam
during peak hours in town. It seems like the whole community is there.
Furthermore, it is also a noisy place. All around, customers and hawkers
are bargaining. The din is ear shattering. Nevertheless, everyone is in good
mood. The shouting and bargaining are enjoyed by both customers and
hawkers. "Apples! Four for $1! Cheap sale!" come the cries of one hawker.
Then another hawker suddenly cries, "Apples! Five for $1! Come on! Cheap
sale! Cheap sale!" Obviously, there are already a number of people examining
the fruits. There are people laughing and children crying. Just two stalls away,
the loud music of cd vendors comes along cheering up the situation. The stall
is also brightly illuminated. No doubt, it is doing a roaring business. Then a few
stalls away, traditional medicine sellers promote their medicine. They use a
microphone to speak and a loudspeaker to spread their voice. Because of that,
a big crowd of customers will take a look and buy their products.
All of that bring a festive atmosphere in the night market. There are loud and
happy music like clashing of cymbals and beating of drums, children's
laughter, hawkers' call and teenagers' giggling. Everyone is in a holiday mood
- enjoying the tasty food and drinks and unwinding after a hard day's work.
By about 9 p.m., hawkers begin to pack their things into vans. Some of
them remain to get some last minute selling done. "$1 only, Madam! This is the
last one. I sold for $2 just now but I want to go home now." In this way, many
sales transactions are closed. Furthermore, most vendors have a hard life, trying
to make both ends meet. They really need to make some profits each night.
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Although the night market is very crowded and noisy, but the hawkers and
customers will come back again and again because the night market is where
things are cheaper as there are no middlemen to make a profit for themselves.
Vocabulary
marvellous : causing great wonder, admiration or pleasure, especially
because extremely good
unwinding: relax , to stop being nervous
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Vocabulary
meagre : not enough in quantity, quality
dissipation the continual search for foolish or dangerous pleasure
dissolution decay
Today, we are stepping into a new millenium. The era of science and
technology has caught up with each and every one of us. Men, and women,
both have equal parts to play in order to make the world a better place for
the up and coming generations.
The 20th century is a far cry from all the earlier civilizations. For women,
especially, they are freed from the tight clutches of Medieval society. They are
no longer mere childbearers or caretakers of the family, to be confined only to
the kitchens or the bedrooms. These days, women have finally found their
rightful place in society.
However, this was not an overnight revolution. It was a tiring uphill baffle which
took courage and determination most of us can only admire. It was a torrent
struggle against the current of so-called ethics. It took a whole series of
demonstrations, street protests and even the burning of bras before women
could even call upon enough attention to show the world that they were really
serious about Women's Liberation. The fruit of their labour? the right to vote,
finally!
The Women's Liberation Movement was a major milestone for women all
over the globe. Being given their voting rights signalled that women now have
a voice of their own. But even then, women were still viewed as back-seat
drivers, never allowed the chance to really make decisions. In viewing that,
some women took the Liberation Movement one step further by actively taking
part in the political, social and economic arenas. Although women have yet to
take hold of the reins of the world, still, many have proven their capabilities to
be as good as, if not better than men.
Take First Lady Hilary Clinton for example. Is she not always standing faithfully
beside her husband through thick and thin, forever his silent but powerful driving
force? Or when she is not playing the "Good Wife" part, isn't she always busy
going about doing good as a Samaritan as well as a diplomat? How about the
late Princess Diana for instance? She was a true princess at heart, not the
kind who puts on airs and dresses up for balls. No, not her! While she was
not bringing smiles to the faces of starving Ethopian children, she was out in
full gear, campaigning against mine fields and global violence. All that despite
being constantly the target of the media people, or rather rumourmongers who
are ever ready to devour any sleaze they hear! These two fine ladies are the
perfect icons for women today, but they are not the only ones. Many more have
followed in their footsteps, and many succeeded in making a change for the
better, for themselves, and those around them.
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The battle of the sexes has long since existed, and it is safe to say that we
are merely halfway through. It only ends with the abolition of prostitution,
domestic violence against wires, sexual abuse and discrimination. Therefore the
womenfolk of the world must come together, giving support to their sisters all
over the globe to secure a fairer world for their daughters and granddaughters
of the future!
Vocabulary
Samaritan : known for listening to people who feel uncomfortable talking to
someone they know about their problems
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Meantime in the library, several students are busy searching and skimming the
books for extra reading and setting information for their assignments. Several students
can be seen engrossed in the daily news with their best friends. The scene in the
library during recess time is quiet and full of discipline although some quiet chat can
be heard.
Some hard-working student or I should say bookworm will stay in their own
class to finish their homework or revise. While some students are seen carrying out
their cleanliness duty. You may see of a couple of girls diligently mopping the windows,
sweeping the floor and cleaning the blackboard. It is certainly pleasant to study in a
spick and span class room.
Some of the students will also enjoy walking around the passageways in front of
the classrooms or in the park chatting with their peers. Some younger students who
have not 'tasted' school work pressure play hide and seek with their friends. While the
older ones are deep in thought in some corners. A few are seen trying to solve
additional Maths or Physics problems. Certainly, one will also see some pupils running
here and there along the passageway while the others just loiter around.
In the wash rooms, you may find some students washing their faces to refresh
themselves after studying hard since morning. Some even have to stand in a queue
for a while to use the toilets. The toilets are never unoccupied. Each class has is
specified for its own toilet.
All in all, I can say that the scene in my school during recess time is one of noise
and many students. Students enjoy their own activities during this time. I, myself, enjoy
every moment of recess time very much.
Vocabulary
rowdy: nosiy and rough
skimming to read, quickly get the main ideas
spick- and-spancompletely clean and tidy again
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Vocabulary
macho : bei ng o r wi sh in g to ap pea r ve ry typ i ca l of a man
c u r f e w : t h e t i m e d u r i n g wh i c h p e o p l e m u s t b e i n d o o r s
according to this rule
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Apart from material wealth, many children and youths are being
unwittingly spoilt by their equally ignorant parents. Many parents today
are being over-protective of their children. Thirty years ago it would
have been perfectly fine to discipline a student in school. Thirty years
later, the same simple act of hitting the child on the palms would
conjure up choruses of "Child Abuse!", "Abuse of Authority!", "No to
Physical Punishment!" et cetera. Thus, as a child learns not authority
in school, the child grows up defying authority as a norm. This form
of pampering subtly confines the child's growth and stunts his or her
ability to built strong and proper interpersonal relationships. Is it not
ironic that parents complain of t h e g r o w i n g i r r e v e r e n c e a n d
insolence of their children?
Children are gift from God, just as parents are often viewed as
the guardians of humanity. However, anything in excess is and has
never done any good for anyone. This same principle applies to
pampering one's offspring. Perhaps it is time that families took a
go od loo k a t thei r make-up an d spe nd some pre ciou s moments
evaluating the conditions of their homes. To love one's child is noble
and indeed an obligation; but to spoil him or her in the process would not
only be wrong done upon the child and oneself, it would also be a sin
to society.
Spoil our children, destroy our future. Would you disagree?
Vocabulary
pampered : too much attention to making someone comfortable and
happy treat too kindly.
rebellious : disobedient and hard to control tending to rebel
irreverence showing lack of respect for important
people or organizations
My Best Friend
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Although I have many friends, there is only one friend whom I really
trust and care about. Her name is Ivy Alexandra.
Ivy is an only child but she does not have indulgent parents. They do
not pamper her. They allow her to learn to be independent. she is nice
and helpful, unlike other friends I know who are selfish, arrogant spoilt brats.
We had known each other since we were young. During our
childhood, she always lent me a helping hand and stood up for me
whenever I was bullied. She was always by my side when I needed her
assistance. We respect and care about each other like sisters.
She helped me learn to stick up for myself. When I was young, I
was quite a coward and was always bullied by my classmates. I learnt a
lot from her. Now that we have grown up, we still face any crisis together.
She has an outstanding personality which I admire. She never
gives up because of failure. She will strive until she succeeds. She passes her
examinations with flying colours.
When people meet her for the first time, they would think that she's
rather fierce, but behind this facade is a generous and caring girl. She never
hesitates to donate to the needy.
She is good at sports too and would have made a good athlete but
she is too busy to spa r e t i m e f o r i t . S h e i s t a l e n t e d i n d a n c i n g
and has achieved good grades.
One more thing that is special about her is that she can both be
serious and playful. As a class monitor, she is serious and responsible
in carrying out her duties. However, when she is around her close friends,
she is playful.
She is one in a million. She is popular in school. I have to admit
that sometimes we a rg u e b u t i t o n l y t a ke s t wo m i n u te s to m a ke u p .
W e wi l l b e b e s t f ri e n d s f o re ve r.
Vocabulary
arrogant : unpleasantly proud
flying colours : very successfully , splendidly
facade : an appearance
An unforgettable experience
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"When will this big, stupid caterpillar stop moving? Please slow down, slow down
or I'll get a heart attack." I pleaded in my heart but the roller coaster refused to listen
to my pleas. I heard people screaming crazily. It was driving me nuts. The roller
coaster swung to the left and then to the right. It swung so hard that my head
knocked against the front seat. When the roller coaster slid down from the highest
peak, it was the most frightening part of the whole trip. My eyes were wide open.
My heart stopped beating. I screamed at the top of my voice and my hair was
flying wildly in the air."
The fifteen-minute ride on the roller coaster was like fifteen years to me. My face
was as pale as a corpse when I came down from the roller coaster. I buried my face in
my hands because I felt the world was spinning. My father and mother rushed
towards me when they sensed something was wrong with me. My whole body was
trembling and my hands were icy cold. I opened my mouth to speak but nothing
came out. From that moment on, whenever people mention roller coaster, a chill
runs through my spine. I think that ride on the roller coaster was the most
unforgettable experience in my life.
Vocabulary
corpse : a dead body
trembling : to shake uncontrollably with quick short movements
chill : an unpleasant sensation of coldness
Abandonment of babies
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Vocabulary
malady : something that is wrong with a system or organization
sinful being or guilty of sin, wicked
exacerbated to make (something bad) worse
26
On a bright, sunny morning like that, cycling should be a delightful way to admire
Mother Nature at her best. However, I supposed I had got up from the wrong side of
the bed. So, there I was, growling and muttering under my breath. And Lady Luck was
certainly not on my side too. My aged bicycle proved to be no match for a tiny pebble,
and so down I went, school bag and all, landing on the sidewalk like a sack of
potatoes. An acute pain shot up my leg, and a nasty wound bled profusely. Muffling a
cry, I willed myself to get up. "Just grin and bear it!" my inner voice said. Tears stung
my eyes as I hobbled painfully to school, wheeling my bicycle lugging my bag I was a
pitiful sight.
I managed to reach school without doing myself anymore bodily harm. After
being reprimanded by my teacher for being late, I felt under the weather and snapped
at everyone like a bear with a sore head. Luckily, classes passed uneventfully. Thank
God for that! As the day dragged by slowly, I practically had to pinch my arms every
two seconds to prevent myself from dozing off. Needless to say, lessons went on but
nothing went into my hazy mind that swarmed in space like a zombie.
Saved by the bell! The walls of the institution shook as pupils spread their wings
and flew off beyond the school gates, where freedom awaited them. Just in time I
remembered that my friends and I were going fishing later in the afternoon. It was my
maiden trip and nothing was going to spoil my day. In a split-second, my mood
brightened and I whistled all the way home, forgetting about the past events in the
morning.
At last, everything was ready. All my friends were there and the fishing
equipment had been prepared in advance. Then. as luck would have it, big billowing
clouds started to cover the bright sun. Thunder rumbled threateningly and rain was
imminent. I prayed silently imploring the sun to chase away the clouds. Alas, my
hopes was dashed as big drops of rain began to fall.
Downcast, I trudged home. Drenched from head to toe, I did not even give my
soaked condition a thought. Disappointment was hard to bear and a bitter pill to
swallow, especially in big doses like this. I fought back tears of despair, reproaching
myself for being such a baby.
Once home, I was relived with joy to find my parents back. I dashed into my mum's
arms, sobbing out my woes. I related to her the unfortunate incidents of the day. Mum,
my confidante, my sunshine after the rain, my bright shining star who guided me through
the thorns of teenage years, provided me a shoulder to cry on. At last, I was able to
retrospect rationally and find humour in being such a fool on the day when everything
went wrong.
Vocabulary
reprimanded : to express strong official disapproval of
confidante a person to whom you tell your secrets
retrospect : thinking back to the past from the present
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Vocabulary
Opponent : a person who takes the opposite side in a game
Brawlers : a noisy quarrel of fight and often in a pubic place
Disgust : a strong feeling of dislike caused by behaviour that one
strongly disapproves
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Vocabulary
thunderstruck : extremely suprise, shocked
splendour : excellent or grand beauty
aboriginal : people or living things that have existed in a place from the earliest
time
An unforgettable lesson
I was having fun in the sea with my friends. I am a good swimmer but was
inclined to show off my skills. We were in chest-deep water but I ventured out
into deeper water to show my friends how well I could swim.
For a while i swam merrily about. Suddenly i was seized by cramps
in my legs. i could not swim any longer. In desperation i shouted for
help and tried to stay afloat with my hands. i was in real danger of drowning.
My friends were not good swimmers and thus could not help.
Fortunately a man on the seashore heard my cries. Immediately the man
swam out and pulled me to the shore.
I thanked the man for saving my life. From then on i never showed off
again in the sea.
Vocabulary
inclined : likely, tending to
ventured : to risk going somewhere or doing something dangerous
merrily
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different patterns of the grass as the wind wove everything onto different dimensions
from one minute to the next.
The birds seemed to be in good mood as they kept singing this beautiful melody until
I found myself humming along with them too. I started to jog, surprisingly, without feeling
tired. The number of visitors had tripled without my realizing it. Even toddlers who had
just learned to walk eagerly followed their parents to explore the wonder of this land.
Lucky them! I felt pity for myself for not knowing of its existence until then. I saw some
people picnicking on the grass verge, depicting their happiness to mother earth. There
were groups of middle-aged people practising their 'Tai-chi" here and there. Serenity
and peace showed on their face. Perhaps its their way of relaxing and at the same
time search for peace in their minds and souls.
Tourists were seen everywhere. From their faces, I could tell them that this place
appeared to be as interesting to them as it was to me. Monkeys were one of the
biggest attractions here. Seeing their antics, I couldn't help but laugh. My earlier
opinion of them changed totally as I saw them grabbing bananas and peanuts from
the frightened children. Some poor children were chased by them. Those fierce
looks on their faces forced the little ones to throw whatever food were in their hands to
the hungry monkeys. I had to admit they were actually as clever as humans, only more
mischievous and entertaining.
I followed my mother along a little dark path. I felt like Tarzan in a real jungle.
Seeing the little ants working diligently in a straight line, I realized how I had
squandered my time away. Even animals knew how precious time was. And there, in
the middle of all the flora and fauna, I saw the famous lotus lake. The lotus with its big,
pale pink petals and yellows buds, all squeezing into the small lake somehow seduced
me, as it always did to all the visitors. The path brought me to another noteworthy
place, the orchidarium - an enormous cage full of hundreds of species of orchids from
all over the world. Trailing down the tarred path, I reached the cactus farm. It still
amazes me now that such large cactus can be planted in Malaysia.
I spent almost three hours just observing the natural beauty created by the hand
of God. When I walked out of the Botanical Gardens, I took a quick look around.
Mother Nature has now been so badly damaged and polluted that humans find it so
uncomfortable to live in this place. Thus, their only effortto preserve the treasures of
Mother Nature is by creating and maintaining the Botanical Gardens.
Vocabulary
incessant : something bad continuous over a long period of time , never stopping
prominence : noticeable, easily seen
mischievous : playfully troublesome
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Vocabulary
sophisticated : produced or developed with a high level of skill and knowledge
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Vocabulary
improvised : to do or make something one has not prepared for owing to
an unexpected situation
civilization : life in a place which has all the comforts of the modern world
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